Qi Sha, the Vanguard Star
In a Nutshell
The sixth star of the Southern Dipper — the Dipper's high general — element Fire–Metal.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Element | Fire–Metal (Geng Metal, Ding Fire) |
| Group | 6th star of the Southern Dipper |
| Nature | The Dipper's high general |
| Office | In the numbers holds the power of decision over life and death; forms the "Sha Po Lang" trio with Po Jun and Tan Lang |
What is the Qi Sha star?
The Qi Sha star is one of the fourteen major stars of Zi Wei Dou Shu, the sixth star of the Southern Dipper. Elementally it belongs to Fire and Metal, and within the Southern Dipper group it stands sixth. The old books call it the Dipper's high general: the star of resolve, pioneering, and change — one third of the famed "Sha Po Lang" combination with Po Jun and Tan Lang, and one of the best-known stars in the system.
The *Complete Book of Zi Wei Dou Shu* (Book 1, "Questions and Answers on the Stars") calls Qi Sha the sixth star of the Southern Dipper, of Fire and Metal, "the supreme general among the Dipper stars, the lonely star of success and failure". Traditional verdicts on Qi Sha are fierce; start with its elements and its "general" image before reading combinations. The original passage is quoted below.
In a real chart, note which palace Qi Sha lands in and which stars share or face it — that is the key step in reading. Qi Sha takes on different traditional colorings in each of the twelve palaces, so study it palace by palace against what each palace governs. A full Zi Wei chart lays out the stars and palaces at a glance, and there are lookups for common star combinations. The old verdicts on Qi Sha are the fiercest of all and carry the coloring of their era and its values; take the star's yin-yang and element, its transformed breath, and its palace imagery — and make no value judgments.
Classical sources
"Qi Sha is the sixth star of the Southern Dipper and belongs to Fire and Metal. It is the supreme general among the Dipper stars, truly the lonely star of success and failure. In the Dipper it holds the handle and governs law and censure."
Plain words: Qi Sha is Fire and Metal, the sixth star of the Southern Dipper, the "supreme general" tied to success and failure.
Source: *Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu* (Complete Book of Zi Wei Dou Shu), Book 1, "Questions and Answers on the Stars" · "What does Qi Sha govern?" — original: 七杀南斗第六星也，属火、金。乃斗中之上将，实成败之孤辰。在斗司斗柄，主于风宪。
*For entertainment purposes only.*